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Why choose Political Science?
Why did I choose Political Science as my field knowing that I would live with it forever if I did so?
Well, at first, I found it really difficult to answer that question. I never thought about taking that when I was still on the stage of dreaming about college. For me, Social Sciences were very useless that only those who wanted to waste their time take such courses. But, when I was introduced into the so- called “political arena” as I was writing about government for our high school publication, I became interested into this discipline. Though, I was always telling myself “politics is a dirty game”, still, I took political science in account, knowing that this has something to do with my state. Added to this were the advices I received from my family- that I should be a lawyer because, according to them, it is its title “lawyer” that makes it such a big name. (But, it’s not my reason; I only wanted to please them.)
So, I decided to put political science as my best choice in my UPCAT (UP college admission test) application. Then, I asked God, “If you will let me pass Diliman, it means you want me to take this course”. I asked Him a lot of signs if this was really for me. He used pastors, people, events, etc. to tell me, “Yes, I will be admitted in Political Science because this is for me and I belong in this.”
And, there I had it, I passed. First choice. Best choice. Diliman.
Discovering Political Science
Though my first days in college were full of doubts and persuasions to shift, the course, itself, helped me figure out its wonders and significance, not only to my dreams, but also to the society where you and I belong.
I admit, political science is not just what other people think as a “typical” discipline mentioned in our secondary Social Studies. Moreover, politics is not a dirty game. It does not deserve such reputation. If people only know the importance of grasping its concept, they would not act towards politics in that rude way.
What is Politics then?
Since I am only a sophomore, and I am not writing a thesis but a blog, pardon me for the informal referencing style that I would use for explaining some concepts. Also, I am writing this, as a student, for blog’s sake and not for research source. I am just writing what I have learned from my professors and from my own perspective.
Many usually incorporate Politics with government, corruption, graft and a lot more evil descriptions about our leaders. But, in my two-year studies of the discipline, this term is labeled in a very different way.
Politics is often defined as a collective activity aiming to reach binding decisions with an attempt to reconcile diversity of views. Some regard politics as the distribution of power involving more than one actor (one has power over the other). These definitions thereby are not limited to government matters, instead it (politics) is found in all spheres. Every one of us is part of or has been part of discussions whenever we come up with differences. Of course, we want conflicts to come into consensus. We settle disputes by setting rules that will bind us all. And, in our middle, we put a leader to mediate and officiate all through-out. We give him the power to lead us, and, as a response, we obey. Therefore, in house, school, church, organization and anywhere else, politics is always present. Without it, I can say, we will all live with inconsistency.
What Makes Politics Dirty?
However, nowadays, those that we regard as politicians due to their positions in the government are the ones who use politics to inject their own interests. Instead of making binding decisions, their policies make us suffer. Sometimes, they use their policies as solely an achievement, a brand name, or anything that will identify them as “good” samaritans of our government. Behind that, they, themselves, violate their own authored policies. This thinking has been assimilated by the people and so, they regard politics as a dirty game. Most often, when they see politicians in any event, they even use “politicizing” to describe their erroneous acts.
Well, I can say that the dirty here are the actors, those who do that. They are just using politics to advance what can be good to them. Hence, what lacks here is the ethics- this is politics without ethics.
Nevertheless, to generalize using politics, itself, is not proper. Remember, it is not dirty to group, to reconcile differences and to reach decisions that can be binding to all. It will only depend on you, on how you will execute this.
For me, we also become politicians. As Aristotle said, "Man by nature is a political animal". At least, once in our life, we engage in it. We cannot be called normal humans when we do not participate in it. There can be time in your school, in your office or in your org where you share to discussions solution which you propose because you think it will benefit you (without thinking of others). Or maybe, if you are one of the elected officers, you violate your own rules. So, here, I can say, you make politics dirty. YOU, as an actor.
Making good use of Politics
Knowing these, maybe we can start to practice politics in a good way. Even if we are not yet politicians with positions in the government, let us be good politicians in our home, school, office and our society at large. Bear in mind, practice makes perfect. Someday, you might be a part of bigger institutions, or probably the government, where temptations are rampant. By serving a model of a good politician today, you will bring this value and surpass these wrong enticements. It is only about how we are brought, how we grow.
Besides, use the opportunity of participating in politics by helping others and not just yourself. Learn to think of others, you cannot live alone. You need them to survive and so, do not trick them. Politicians that inflict pains to the people only experience short success. After their term, they suffer from the consequences of what they have done, by all means. And, worst, they gain hatred from the public and from their family which is the hardest to bring and I’m sure, as history includes them, they will carry those forever.
Biblical Accounts On Politics
Since this post is getting too long, I will just discuss what the Bible says about Politics and how we should response to its “dirt” next time. Here, we will be able to understand why we should refrain from fighting against the government. The Word of God will also teach us what to do when politicians deviate from their roles.
For the meantime, please meditate on these verses so you can already have the idea of what Politics is with reference to what God says.
Roman 13:1-7
1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 2 So the person who resists such authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment 3 (for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation, 4 for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be in fear, for it does not bear the sword in vain. It is God’s servant to administer retribution on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities but also because of your conscience. 6 For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants devoted to governing. 7 Pay everyone what is owed: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.Also read I Samuel 24, David Spares Saul’s Life. In this chapter, David, no matter how bad Saul had been to him, refused to kill Saul because He believed that Saul was a king, appointed by God and therefore, accountable to God. Whatever Saul did to him, God would be the one to judge him.
( I Samuel 24: 9-15) David’s speech to Saul.
And David said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’? Look, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. Let the LORD judge between you and me, and let the LORD avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand shall not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? Therefore let the LORD be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand.”
Hopefully, you learn a little from these thoughts. I might not explain everything in the way political scientists do, but I write from my heart. So, may our hearts understand each other :)
God bless!
